There are so many articles about travel written in our blog that it would be simply unforgivable not to touch on the topic of traveling with pets! So it is dedicated to all dog breeders, lovers of cats and other animals!
Sometimes it turns out that you need to go far and for a long time, or not far and still for a long time. And you have a favorite pet that you can't give away to friends or relatives for such a long period. A pet hotel will cost you a tidy sum. There are also people who consider their four-legged friend a full member of the family and even in a terrible dream can not imagine that flying away for a week on vacation, they have to leave it to someone else. In any case, at least in order to start planning a trip with your pets, you need to know a few basic rules that work both within the CIS and when traveling to Europe or the USA. Of course, each country and airline has its own nuances. But you will find out these questions directly when buying tickets.
So, I'm sharing what I found on various sources. First, some nuances on the documents.
The first and mandatory condition is that your pet must be vaccinated with standard vaccinations. Accordingly, you must have a veterinary certificate with you (vaccinations, the nickname of the animal and its age).
When traveling abroad, your pet, in addition to standard vaccinations, should also have additional ones, if this is required by the rules of the country you are going to visit. For example, when traveling to Europe, a rabies vaccination is mandatory, plus chipping of the animal is mandatory! You will also need an export license, which confirms that you are not exporting some very rare animal. If the dog is thoroughbred and its value exceeds $ 200, you will also have to pay an additional tax.
5 days before departure, you must receive a certificate from the state veterinary clinic, which must be translated into English. You will present it at the vet control.
And now let's turn specifically to the rules of transportation in airplanes.
You have the right to transport a small animal whose weight together with the cage does not exceed 5 kg (on some air lines up to 8 kg). These can be small dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, songbirds, etc. Exceptions are guide dogs - they are always in the cabin with the owner. The cage is placed under the chair in front of you.
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The dog/cat should be able to stand with his head raised (without taking out the lid), turn around and lie comfortably. For dogs with a shortened nose, the cage size should be larger to avoid breathing problems. The cage must be made of solid plastic with a built-in metal door. Wooden cages and cages with wooden doors are not allowed.
Copies of the animal's passport/veterinary declaration must be attached to the cage. Make copies of the declaration at registration.
The cage must be equipped with two rigid containers or one with two compartments – for food and water; the containers must be accessible with the door closed.
The bottom of the cage should be covered with rags, newspapers or other absorbent material. Straw bedding is not allowed.
The cage must be equipped with at least one "Live Animal" sticker and two "Top" stickers.
A label with the passenger's name, address and phone number should be attached to the cage.
Pets in a cage should be without a leash and muzzle; a leash or muzzle should not lie in a cage.
The lock of the cage door must be strong. Padlocks are not allowed. Hinges and door latches should protrude from the bottom and top by at least 1.6 cm.
The wheels must be removed.
Transportation of an animal is paid as excess baggage. For a dog weighing more than 40 kg, the purchase of a separate ticket is required and a separate passenger seat is allocated. That is, she, of course, will not fly in the cabin :) It just means you're buying another ticket.
A small table with country groups and requirements:
Country groups:
A. Great Britain, Ireland, Malta, Sweden.
B. Andorra, Vatican City, Gibraltar, Denmark, Iceland, Spain, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, France, Switzerland, EU members not included in Group A.
C. Australia, Bahrain, Hong Kong, Canada, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, USA, Croatia, Chile, Jamaica, Japan, 20 island states.
D. The rest of the world.
Preparation. Do not let the animal drink 4 hours before departure, eat - 12 hours before departure. If the dog is seasick, then you'd better stock up on a proven remedy, and if your friend is quite restless, then a tranquilizer or sedative won't hurt either.
That's probably all. As I said, this is a brief overview. If you are interested in this question in more detail, then you should look into the original source and ask about the tariffs of the carrier you have chosen (tariffs and some nuances of transportation are different for everyone).
Have a good trip to you and your pet!
